David Clark Fransen Second World War coconut letter
Content Description
This collection consists of a coconut sent by Capt. David C. Fransen, USAAF, to his daughter Susan during the Second World War. The collection also contains a photo of Susan and a photo of Capt. Fransen, as well as photocopies of material related to the coconut and Capt. Fransen's military service.
Dates
- 1943
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Biographical / Historical
Captain David Clark Fransen, United States Army Air Force, was born May 21, 1912 in Cedar Bayou, Chambers County, Texas to his parents Mays David Fransen and Pansy Agusta Clark. He remained in Texas and married Dorothy Householder on June 20, 1937 and they had a daughter, Susan Byers Fransen, on September 24, 1939.
Fransen graduated from Texas A and M and worked at Humble Oil and Refining Company of Houston before joining the United States Army Air Corps on February 15, 1942. After training at Hoffman airborne station in North Carolina, where his wife and daughter joined him, he served as a glider rifle company commander in the airborne infantry in the Philippines. That is where, in 1943, he sent home a coconut with a carved face for his daughter. Capt. Fransen then returned to the United States on April 3, 1945 for further treatment due to a shrapnel wound in his back.
Susan took on a sudden illness later that year and died on August 5, 1945 shortly before her sixth birthday. The Fransens then moved to Houston where they stayed until Capt. Fransen passed away on November 24, 1974.
Extent
0.75 Linear Feet (1 folder, 1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection consists of a coconut sent by Capt. David Clark Fransen, USAAF, to his daughter Susan during the Second World War. The collection also contains supplemental material pertaining to Capt. Fransen and his daughter Susan. A photo of Susan and a photo of Capt. Fransen, as well as photocopies of material related to the coconut and Capt. Fransen's military service.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by material type:
- Series 1, Coconut letter
- Series 2, Supplemental materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Toni C. Fransen.
Condition Description
The addresses on the coconut are mostly faded.
Physical Description
The coconut contains a carved face and addresses written in white paint (or white-out). The writing is mostly damaged or fading.
- Battle casualties Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Local sources
- Military hospitals Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States -- Army -- Pacific Theater of Operations Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. -- Army. -- Air Corps Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. -- Army Air Service Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Hospitals Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines -- Mindanao Island. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War II Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Finding Aid for the David Clark Fransen Second World War coconut letter
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Andrew Harman
- Date
- 8/30/2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Center for American War Letters Archives Repository
